You are viewing your 1 free article this month. Login to read more articles.
The Man Booker Prize has halved the time period during which a former Man Booker-shortlisted author can be submitted for entry to the prize, unless the nominee is included as part of a publisher's two other submissions. Booker's administrators are also now insisting that publishers of any longlisted books must provide the RNIB with an electronic text version of their title in order to produce and distribute Braille, giant print and audio formats of the titles on a not-for-profit basis.
Booker is also requiring that all shortlisted books be made available as e-books by the publishers within two weeks of the shortlist announcement.
As before, UK publishers may enter up to two full-length novels published between 1st October 2008 and 30th September 2009 and in addition any new title by an author who has previously won the Booker or Man Booker prize may also be submitted. However this year only those books by an author who has been shortlisted within the last five years (ie since and including 2004) is entitled to automatic entry. It had previously been within the last 10 years.
The new submissions rules were sent out today (19th February). Ion Trewin, literary director of the Man Booker Prizes, said: "Changing the rule over shortlisted authors gaining automatic entry places greater emphasis on new work rather than past reputations. I also hope it will encourage publishers to think how they use the call-in system to draw the attention of judges to novels that editors believe deserve to be considered."
Trewin added: "Additionally the Man Booker Prize rules include, as a long stop, the ability for judges to call in any titles which have not been entered or been included in a publisher’s call-in submission. I believe I can say with confidence that no worthwhile new novel will be ignored."
The Man Booker has a longstanding partnership first with the National Library for the Blind, and more recently with the RNIB (which merged with the NLB in 2007) which provides Booker Prize Foundation funding for the production of the shortlist for the visually impaired.
For the full rules visit the Man Bookerhttp://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/about/rules-and-entry" target="_blank"> website.
The longlist for this year’s prize, the 12 or 13-strong "Booker Dozen" will be announced in early August; the shortlist of six will be revealed in early September. The winner will be announced on 6th October.
The judging panel for the 2009 Man Booker Prize for Fiction is: chair, broadcaster and author James Naughtie; biographer and critic Lucasta Miller; academic, journalist and broadcaster John Mullan; comedian and broadcaster Sue Perkins, and literary editor of Sunday Telegraph Michael Prodger.
Note: This is a corrected version of the original story. For clarity, former winners get free entry, former shortlisted authors now have to have been shortlisted within the past five years.